Christmas Eve

The beautiful table and tree at set for Christmas dinner.

For our family's number Luke played jingle bells while Rick and I sang and Noah jingled his bell.

The children's musical number was well rehearsed. They started practicing about 6:30 am and didn't stop all day. Tess was the conductor, Ellie the vocal soloist, and Luke provided the music with his saxophone. There were darling and had worked so hard on their two numbers.

Noah with his own little nativity that Grandma had given him.

All the grandchildren dressed in their new Christmas pajamas.

I know that it is now 2008, but you all know that I am always behind on my blogging. Because I have so much to say and show about Christmas I thought that I would take it in stages. Since my last post "Gunnerson Christmas as the Cabin" we have moved on to Christmas Eve. Long ago, when I was in high school, my mom started our McNeil Christmas eve dinner and show. (Anyone who know my mom know that a "show" must be included with everything!) Back then it was just our little family of parents and kids. Now it has grown to Grandparents, kids and their spouses, and grandchildren! We still have our wonderful candlelight dinner and program and I love that this tradition survived our teenage years and the many other family traditions that have married into our family. This year we had shrimp, prime rib, garlic mashed potatoes, creamed corn, and fresh baked rolls. Okay, that is what everyone else had. I had potatoes, corn, and rolls. Every few years I have to skip the main part of the meal because I am the only crazy person in the world who REALLY dislikes shrimp and red meat. I love my mom for rotating our menu so that most of the time I can stuff myself along with everyone else. Noah particularly loved the prime rib and ate a very large amount for a two year old. In fact he really did make himself sick with prime rib. About an hour after I put him in bed I heard him fussing and found him in his crib lying in a pool of throw-up! Too much of a good thing. With the kids in bed the adults were able to finish wrapping last minute presents and get everything set out. In the process we watched a little of Midnight Mass on T.V., which led to a two hour discussion (sometimes heated) about just how evil the Catholic church is or isn't. Anyway, about 2:30 we I finally made it to bed (while Rick and my dad were still in "discussion") so Santa could come! Next year I will remember not to turn on Mass so we can get to bed a little earlier.